9-year-old shooting victim’s organs help save child

The organs of nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green, the youngest victim of last week’s shootings in Tucson, Ariz., have been donated to a Boston-area child, her father revealed to The Boston Globe.

The Globe reports today that John Green told the newspaper that he received a phone call about the transplant, but does not know any further details about who received his little girl’s organs, or at which hospital.

A spokesman for the New England Organ Bank told the Globe he is unable to comment on donations.

Green told the Globe that the news that his daughter’s organs were able to save the life of another child “really lifted” his spirits, and he and her mother, Roxanna Green are proud of Christina, “who has done another amazing thing.”

CNN reports that when asked if he would like to meet the young girl who received his daughter’s organs, John Green said yes, he would.

“I’d give her a big hug. It’s a blessing,” Green said.

Christina-Taylor Green, who was born on Sept. 11, 2001, was one of six people killed when Jared Loughner, 22 allegedly opened fire at a “Congress on Your Corner” event at a Tucson- area Safeway. She was waiting to meet Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz. when she was shot.

Arizona dignitaries and the family and friends of Christina Taylor Green gathered on Thursday to celebrate her life.

At the service on Thursday, Green’s family members met the casket and solemnly escorted it into St. Elizabeth-Ann Seton Catholic Church for the afternoon ceremony.

Among the roughly 1,800 mourners who were in attendance to pay their respects to the young girl was the husband of the severely wounded Giffords, Astronaut Mark Kelley, as were Arizona’s two Senators, John McCain and Jon Kyl, both Republicans.

“She wanted to make a difference in her life. She wanted to make her mark, and she did so in so powerful a way that even she cannot imagine,” said Bishop Gerald Kicanas during his homily, after which he revealed to the crowd that the slain 9-year-old was also an organ donor.

The somber hour-and-a-half long mass included songs by the University of Arizona choir, and a friend of Christina-Taylor’s sang Billy Joel’s “Lullaby.”